Watch: First same-sex couple get marriage license in Seattle

Jane Abbott Lighty and Pete-e Petersen were given the first same-sex marriage license in Seattle at 12:01 a.m. Thursday. King County Executive Dow Constantine signed the license for them and several other couples, and the King County Administration Building stayed through the early morning.

“To have our 35-year loving relationship publicly honored and celebrated and have this be a legal marriage means everything to both of us,” said Lighty, a former nurse. She and Petersen, a former Korean War flight nurse, will be wed at a Seattle Men’s Chorus concert at Benaroya Hall in Seattle this weekend.

By 3:30 a.m. 212 had been issued, breaking the single-day record. Typically the county issues between 75 and 100 marriage licenses per day, but by 6:45 a.m. Thursday the count surpassed 300.

The Legislature passed the same-sex marriage law earlier this year, then voters approved it in November. Washington law requires three days between getting a license and getting married. So there will likely be mass weddings throughout Seattle on Sunday.